Sheffield Shield 2024/25, SOA vs QLD 28th Match Match Report, March 15 – 18, 2025

South Australia 359 for 4 (McInerney 142, Sangha 67, Carey 46*) vs Queensland

McInerney, 30, entered the match averaging just 20.34 from 47 first-class innings with a highest score of 75, coming off scores of 0 and 1 against Victoria last week. But he smashed 23 boundaries on a good pitch after his captain Nathan McSweeney won the toss and made the rare decision in Shield cricket to bat first.

McInerney reached 50 in 75 balls feasting on some wayward bowling. He was particularly savage square of the wicket off both feet and also dominated Mitchell Swepson’s legspin. He brought up his century off 156 balls driving a full toss from Matt Renshaw through mid-on for another boundary. Queensland’s seamers, including Michael Neser, dropped short to him again thereafter and he unfurled some outstanding pulls and uppercuts.

Following the early loss of opening partner Henry Hunt, he shared partnerships of 132 with McSweeney who looked rock solid for his 41 before he top edged a pull shot to midwicket.

He also added 85 with Sangha who looked set for a big score having taken toll of a tiring Queensland attack against the old ball. But Neser produced a stunning wobble-seam delivery with the second new ball to nip one back into Sangha’s front pad and trap him lbw.

South Australia’s batting kept coming though with Alex Carey returning to continue the sparkling form he showed on the Test tour of Sri Lanka and at the Champions Trophy. He raced to 46 not out from 50 balls by stumps with four fours and a six to his name. He shared a whirlwind unbeaten 53-run stand with Jake Lehmann who cruised to 27 not out from 31 deliveries coming off his match-winning unbeaten century against Victoria last Sunday.

Queensland have just seven overs tomorrow to add to their four wickets with crucial bonus points given for wickets taken in the first 100 overs of each innings.